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Pastor Jack Graham defends Christianity at Wednesday Convocation

April 17, 2013 : Liberty University News Service

The Rev. Jack Graham took the Convocation podium Wednesday at Liberty University to explain why he believes in Jesus, defending his belief on four grounds — historical, biblical, spiritual, and personal.

“The Bible is a love story, the story of redemption and the story of salvation,” Graham said. “The entire Bible is about Jesus from Genesis to Revelation. As I have taken a deeper look into the Bible I am not finding flaws, I am finding faith that changes my life and changes the world around me.”

Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, is a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and a former member of Liberty’s Board of Trustees.

He explained that Christianity is a historical faith and is not founded upon myths. The Bible can be believed as truth because of its longevity, its historicity, scientific facts, truth, unity, and its prophecies, he said.

Many have tried to disprove that Jesus ever lived but have been unsuccessful, he added, challenging students to cling to the promises that are written in the Bible.

“The Bible generates life, creates faith, defeats the devil, causes miracles, heals hurt, builds character, transforms circumstances, imparts joy, enables us to overcome obstacles, is a sword of the spirit and the word of God. Because of the word of God, I believe in Jesus. I believe in what I know, not what I feel.”

He asked students if they have ever wondered what it would have been like to walk with Jesus, be on one of his fishing boats, see Him heal the sick and the blind, raise the dead and be a witness at His death and resurrection.

“We would all be better followers of Jesus if we had witnessed all of these great biblical stories, however, that was not our time,” he said. “God has given us something better. He has given us the Holy Spirit and our job is to share the Gospel message with everybody we know.”

Defending Christianity as a personal faith, he told a brief testimony of his friend and church member Pat Summerall who died on Tuesday. Summerall is best known as a broadcaster for Monday Night Football, which he co-hosted with John Madden for many years. Before coming to Christ, Summerall had a drinking problem, Graham said. He eventually received help to recover from his disease, but it was when he picked up a Bible about 12 years ago that his life began to be transformed.

Graham will be speaking at his friend’s funeral on Saturday, with many prominent people, in attendance, he said, and plans on sharing Summerall’s hope — the hope we can all have — in Jesus.

In closing, he expressed this hope for everyone: “Liberty students and faculty and all of us, let us be the fellowship of the flaming hearts, and have burning passionate hearts for the Lord Jesus Christ.”